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25 Signs That Your Cat Loves You

Experienced cat owners can easily tell what their cat's body language and gestures mean. They know when Kitty is angry, hungry, sad or happy and they can tell when he or she is doting all over them, sending a crystal clear message of love. However, if you're new to cats, you may be wondering what are the exact telltale signs that your cat loves you? We asked our experienced cat owners on the forums what they thought and put together a comprehensive list based on what they told us.

Before we begin, a couple of things to keep in mind -

1. Different cats have different personalities. Some are extroverts, openly showing their feelings and needs. Others are shy and sometimes even timid. They can be just as loving and they need their owners just as much but they may have a harder time expressing that. If that's the case with your cat, please read this article: 10 Tips For Living With A Shy Cat.

2. It takes time to create a loving relationship. If you've only recently adopted a cat, you may need to give him or her more time to learn how to fully open up and trust you enough to show her/his feelings. Take a moment to read this article: How To Help A New Cat Adjust To Your Home.

And now, without further ado...

25 Signs That Your Cat Loves You

1. Purring at you, especially when being petted.

TCS member @jellycatfish says about her cat Happy: "He often starts to purr loudly when he watches my boyfriend and me from his window spot and his scratching post."

If your cat purrs while you're petting or stroking her, that's a great sign! Keep in mind that when cats feel vulnerable or in pain they may purr as well.

2. Approaching you for interaction

TCS member @lovefive says: "Martha makes me happy by coming up to me for fuss."

3. Wanting to be in your lap

TCS member @Losna says about her cat Sinbad: "He jumps up to sit with me and snuggle when I sit down."

4. Head butting against your hands and face

TCS member @caitini says: "Pierre smooshes his face all over me. I only have to stick my hand out and he's there spreading his face pheromones all over it!"

TCS member @Lyrajean adds: "Aya is definitely an expert head-butter. Sometimes she gives me the "stealth" or "drive-by" head butts."

5. Asking to be petted or even lifted

TCS member @sarthur2 says: "One of my cats stands fully upright on his back legs and puts his front paws on me to be picked up. Since he's huge, it's like a small child wanting to be lifted and held!"

Some cats don't like being held in a human's arms though, so please respect your cat's boundaries.

6. Squinting eyes when looking at you

TCS member @Sirentist says about her cat Isabel: "Often after a few exchanges of blinks she'll come over to me and let me give her a few pets."

Slowly shutting their eyes and opening them again is a sign of trust for cats. Try slowly squinting your eyes at Kitty and she or he will likely return the gesture.

7. Wanting to sleep with you

TCS member @jcat said: "Every cat we've had has slept in bed with us, from kittenhood to old age."

TCS member @PHarber-Murphy says: "My favorite is seeing their little tails go up in the air like a flag waving hello whenever I walk through the door. I know they're thrilled to see me, and I'm thrilled to see them."

12. Chirping at you

TCS member @Columbine says: "Asha runs towards me chirping like crazy when I get home!"

TCS member @Banana Queen says her cats like "Rolling onto their backs for a tummy rub when I approach."

15. Sharing your bed

TCS member @foxxycat says: "Honeybee sleeps right on top of me. Floey next to me and Pumpkin face next to me."

17. Licking and grooming you

TCS member @MServant says : "Mouse likes licking my face or hair esp while I'm stroking him so it's almost like mutual grooming. Mouse likes to tidy up my eyebrows that way."

18. Talking by meowing at you

TCS member @Jalindal says: "Mackerel responds at the spots in the conversation you'd expect her to, and with the tone that you'd expect, as well."

19. Yawning and stretching when they see you.

TCS member @StefanZ says: "My resident cats Muskis and Vagis often yawn and stretch when I enter the room they are in. I guess it means they feel comfortable and friendly with me, and are telling me that. They also often greet each other this way."

20. Bringing you gifts

Cats that are allowed outdoors sometimes bring their humans gifts in the form of prey (alive or dead).

21. Sitting by the door when you're about to go out

TCS member @Plan says about his Buddy : "He's literally parking himself by the front door when I leave the house, and staying there until I come back. I've had people over and when I've run out quickly, like to grab something from the store, they've told me Bud stays by the door the whole time instead of just hearing me approaching and coming to the door."

22. Following you everywhere

TCS member @Columbine says: "Asha runs towards me chirping like crazy when I get home. She wants to be with me everywhere."

23. And we mean everywhere. Including the bathroom!

TCS member @stephanietx says about her cat Emmie: "She follows me to the bathroom and lays on the floor between my feet."

24. Giving you love bites

TCS member @RickR says about his cat Lucy: "She likes to pull one or more of my fingers into her mouth and gently lick and nibble."

25. Nursing you when you're sick

TCS member @StefanZ says: "When you get sick with something, maybe rheumatism or a cold, you may notice the cat lying with you, giving you warmth and comfort."

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Another cute thing they do is "nose boops" or nose sniffs... when I walk up to Noodle when she's at eye level in her cat tree she will sniff my nose and face like I'm another kitty. Which of course I encourage. I do this with grey cat too, but I have to bend down to meet him. It's so cute.

Our big boy, Shade, runs to the living room window when he hears our van as he knows I'm coming home from work then he greets me at the door while his sis sits on a nearby perch and chirps at me after I close the door. Both of them walk in front of me with tails held high and usually hangout in the bathroom with me. They occasionally checkout the shower as I take one but the cutest is when we settle in bed for the night. Shade comes in and kicks the dog off the bed then takes it's place between my wife and me on the foot of the bed to spend the night with us.

My Toby adores his dad. He hears the car coming long before I do and he rushes outside and goes and sits on the wall where he parks his car. Then my hubs can hardly walk because Toby walks just in front of you and constantly rubbing your feet with his head while you are trying to get inside. I have the same reaction when I walk down the passage to the kitchen; Toby walking slowly right in front of me rubbing my feet vigorously. When I go to the toilet I drop my slax and Toby immediately climbs into them and makes himself comfortable while I do whatever one does on the toilet. Then I go to the hand basin after much encouragement to get Toby out of my slax and of course he jumps straight into the basin making it difficult for me to wash my hands. He likes to play with the water. He does prefer my husband to me though and that bothers me a little because I'm the one who feeds him. But I have to admit Toby is a huge boy and my lap is rather small compared to my husband. If he feels like it he will jump onto my lap and knead my boobs, his way of saying I do love you.

Number 23. When I go to the bathroom Jasmine not only follows me in but wants to sit on my lap while I pee. Hey, a lap is a lap! Who cares what's happening underneath the lap; it's nice and dry on top!

As did my sammy.. it was sam but we called him sammy sammich because he loved eating sandwhiches from the bottom while i ate them normally from the top! I know that pain! I as you feel it every day. One of my two cats does about 3/4 of these and my other the same in different ways but theres still a void where sam should be

My foster cat Patrick chirps at me when I come near him after I put his food down and he has not yet decided if he will eat or not. He is a very shy and wary cat so I think this is a sound of anxiety with him. He always acts as if he were afraid that I was going to be mean to him (I think he's neurotic due to previous treatment) but then lets me pick him up and he will purr like mad.

12. Chirping at you
This one isn't exactly "love" - it's actually excitement. It could be excitement that food is coming, their favourite toy comes out, or that the person they love has come home but it doesn't actually express love or affection.

I think chirping can indicate your relationship has gotten to a certain level though. Cats wont chirp to play with anyone. After Noodle came out of her shell she started chirping to play a lot and I took it as a sign of her wanting to play with me.

My kitties often bring mice or even small moles. The biggest one they brought was the size of my pointer finger and a deodarant stick. Its so gross but I know they love me even though they rarely let me pet anything else but their head.

#25 is so true. When I had my gallbladder removed, I was home the same day and it's almost like my kitties knew I was hurting. I laid down and they immediately came over and cuddled up as close to the surgery site as I would let them and they started purring soooo loudly. lol

In spite of the fact that my (now ex) husband left me at 2 months pregnant, Mercutio knew what to do! Having never been a cat who wanted to camp out and sleep on top of me, assumed his trusty post every night of my pregnancy (long before I had an appealing preggo belly for him to perch on) by planting himself on my tummy and sleeping there through the night. If I needed to shift or move, he would hop off til I was settled and return to my stomach for slumber. So as for 25, definitely, kitties can even help you incubate, apparently, hehe.

I agree! My sam layed flat against my belly everynight, meowing when i rolled over as if to say.. how dare you move mom, i was comfy... he would immediately get up and go to the other side and lay against my tummy. When i went into labour, he stood flat against my tummy when i was laying in bed growling, hissing and batting at all who tried to get near me.

(oops) And @librarienne, you were not "seeing things" IMHO. I have experienced this many times, with many loved ones who have crossed to the Bridge, including our beloved Rani, who just left us on 29th June at age 19 years, almost 2 months. They know we love them so much, and their love for us is immeasurable! Of course they are right by our sides, watching over us until we are reunited in due time. *Deepest condolences for your loss*.

Whenever I'm stumped about a situation Bo will meow to go outside, do his wiggly friendly dance (walk around balcony near neighbors doors only returns when solution to my problem is found <3 he runs back all Happy!.Mr.Sunshine!..if he can't get out he and Minno did this they just refused to eat their dinner NO matter What! Until problem is solved they can sense your stresses birds can to Very intuitive. Cats have very strong integrity it's amazing how much they truly communicate showing their love.

Poppy gets so excited when I get home from work, she runs up to the car meowing all the way, then gives me an ear full of meows in different tones, like she is asking where I have been all day at the same time as telling me about her day. She then loves a big cuddle and lots of smooches (she runs her cheek along mine). Its always so nice to come home to somecat that misses you everyday and wants all your attention immediately!

I used "6. Squinting eyes when looking at you" a lot on my cat Rusty when he was still feral. When he got familiar with me and came to watch me put food out I did the slow Squinting eyes. After a few days of doing it he Squinted back and I knew I was on my way to getting another kitty. I figure it as a trust thing, if I trust him enough to take my eyes off him with a slow Squint then I don't mean to do him harm.

Number 25 brought tears to my eyes; when I was receiving chemo for my cancer, my beloved Manx, Mannix, would always want to curl up in the area where my port was. He was always a lovable cat (a stray), but he had never specifically headed for that area of my body to want to sleep on. I lost him June 2015, and I swear I saw him in my apartment several times later.